PepsiCo has appointed Savitha Balachandran as Chief Financial Officer for India and South Asia, reinforcing its leadership bench as the company sharpens its focus on profitable growth, operational discipline, and long-term scale across one of its most dynamic regions.
Balachandran brings over two decades of experience from the Tata Group, with senior finance leadership roles at Tata Technologies and Tata Motors. Her background spans complex manufacturing environments, global operations, capital allocation, and transformation-led finance skills that are increasingly critical as FMCG companies balance growth ambitions with margin pressures.
Her appointment comes at a pivotal moment for PepsiCo in India and South Asia, where the company is navigating rising input costs, expanding consumption, and accelerated investment in brands, supply chains, and go-to-market capabilities. Finance leadership today goes far beyond cost control; it plays a central role in shaping strategy, enabling faster decision-making, and supporting sustainable expansion.
At PepsiCo, Balachandran is expected to focus on strengthening financial governance, improving return on investments, and aligning financial strategy with business growth priorities across foods and beverages. As PepsiCo continues to scale local manufacturing, distribution, and innovation, disciplined capital deployment and resilience planning will be key.
The move also reflects a broader trend across large consumer companies: appointing CFOs with deep operational and transformation experience, not just traditional finance expertise. In markets like India, where scale, volatility, and opportunity coexist, such leadership is essential to balance growth with stability.
For PepsiCo, this appointment signals confidence in the region’s long-term potential and a clear intent to back that ambition with strong, future-ready financial leadership.
